Auburn University's Master of Community Planning program is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board for a 7-year term until December 2027. PAB requires this information be publicly available for the Master of Community Planning program at Auburn University.
Student Achievements
Auburn University Master of Community Planning graduates are successful in their careers and in the planning profession. Several alumni hold executive positions in the American Planning Association-Alabama Chapter and hold important offices around the country (scroll down to see list of notable alumni). MCP program’s online Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Spring 2022, and Fall 2021 newsletters highlights recent activities and achievements of the Master of Community Planning (MCP) students.
MCP graduates regularly win the state awards given by the Alabama Chapter of the American Planning Association (AL-APA), and our students make professional presentations at the national and state level conferences each year. MCP students regularly win the Distinguished Leadership Award for a Planning Student/Team and other awards from the AL-APA. Details of annual AL-APA awards are archived here. A few recent AL-APA awards include:
- Whitney Lee, Tracy Chandler, and Tianshi “Lex” Xu won the 2023 Distinguished Leadership Award for a Planning Student Team.
- Mark Aniadaga, Charles Jones and Benjamin McGarr won the 2022 Distinguished Leadership Award for a Planning Student Team.
- Taylor Esco, Natasha Miles and Yiren Zhou won the 2019 Distinguished Leadership Award for a Planning Student Team.
- Sustainable Transportation Planning class has won the Distinguished Leadership Award for a Planning Student Team for several years (2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018).
- James Howell won the 2018 Distinguished Leadership Award for a Planning Student.
- Rajas Bhalerao won the 2018 Best Poster Award.
- DeAndra Navratil and Amanda White won the 2017 Best Poster Award.
In addition to the above AL-APA awards, a number of MCP graduates have received Outstanding Student Awards given by the American Planning Association (APA), including:
- Benjamin McGarr (2023)
- John Whitlow (2022)
- AJ Kam (2021)
You can view several examples of Auburn University Master of Community Planning (MCP) student projects and explore how they are making a difference in Alabama communities by engaging in the Alabama City Year Program. Students regularly present in front of mayors, city managers, council members and city staff, and are recognized statewide for their contributions to improve local communities in Alabama. For instance, students from Spring 2022 Urban Design Studio and Sustainable Transportation Planning classes in Phenix City were featured in local media such as WRBL and here; students from Fall 2018 Historic Preservation Planning class were featured in the Montgomery Advertiser, and the Synthesis Studio students working in Pell City were featured on ABC News.
Student Planning Association of Auburn University
The Student Planning Association of Auburn University (SPAAU) stimulates student interest in community planning and design, familiarizes students with the practice of planning, helps students in attending state and national planning conferences, and builds a strong relationship between the Community Planning degree program and other programs related to community planning and design. SPAAU is a student-led organization that endeavors to improve scholarship and performance of individuals entering the community planning and design fields. This student-led association holds regular meetings and social events throughout the academic year. For more information, please contact Emily Hawkins.
2023-2024 Tuition and Fees
In State Residents, per full-time academic year - $12,524
Out of State Residents, per full-time academic year - $33,908
Student Retention Rate
Percentage of students who began studies in fall 2022 and continued into fall 2023 - 67%
Student Graduation Rate
Percentage of students graduating within 4 years, entering class of 2019 - 67%
Approximately 67% of all full-time students joining the MCP program in Fall 2021 graduated within 2 years, and approximately 82% of all full-time students joining the MCP program in Fall 2020 graduated within 3 years.
Number of Degrees Awarded
Number of degrees awarded for 2022-2023 Academic Year - 9
Auburn University’s MCP program has awarded over 100 Master of Community Planning degrees since 2015.
AICP Pass Rate
Percentage of master’s graduates taking the AICP exam within 3 years who pass, graduating class of 2019
Not applicable - No graduates from the graduating class of 2019 have taken the exam.
Historically, MCP graduates have been successful in passing the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) exam. For example, the graduating class of 2018 had a 100% pass rate. Auburn University MCP graduates typically attempt the AICP exam within a few years of graduation.
Employment
Percentage of all graduates obtaining professional planning, planning-related, or other positions within 12 months of graduation, graduating class of 2022 - 54.5%
Approximately 54.5% of our students graduating in 2022 have found employment in a professional planning, planning-related, or other position within one year of graduation. Approximately 14% are pursuing doctoral studies; 27% are not employed in a planning related field; and the status of 4.5% of graduating students is unknown.
Notable Alumni
MCP graduates hold important offices around the country. Below are a few of our notable alumni:
- Michael Alexander, Chief Operating Officer of the Center for Livable Communities, Atlanta Regional Commission, 1996 MCP alum
- Megan McGowen, City Manager of Auburn, AL, 1997 MCP alum
- Charlene LeBleu, Past-President of the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture, and Professor of Landscape Architecture at Auburn University, 2003 MCP alum
- Dr. Galen Newman, Professor and Head, Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning at the Texas A&M University, 2006 MCP alum
- Mac Martin Jr., President of Alabama Chapter of American Planning Association, and Planning Director of Hoover, AL, 2009 MCP alum
- Marvin Price, Executive VP, Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, 2011 MCP alum
- Stephen Everett, Assistant Director, Department of City Planning, New York City, 2012 MCP alum
- Jocelyn Poe, Provost New Faculty Fellow and Incoming Assistant Professor, City and Regional Planning Department at Cornell University, 2012 MCP alum
- Valecia Wilson, Senior Neighborhood Planner at the DC Office of Planning, 2014 MCP alum
- DeAndra Navratil, Executive Director, Green County Regional Planning & Coordinating Commission, 2018 MCP alum